UGC Pay Scale for Government College Lecturers to Continue in the State

Chief Secretary B K Patnaik addressing the media after the meetingBhubaneswar: The State Government on Thursday decided to continue the UGC scale of pay for Government college teachers and to fill up the posts of lecturers lying vacant in the government colleges at the plus three level, by recruiting 50 per cent from among the junior lecturers and rest 50 per cent through direct recruitment.

The decision was taken at the state cabinet meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Briefing media persons after the meeting, State Chief Secretary B K Patnaik said, the vacancies created due to upgradation of the Junior Lecturers to the UGC scale would be filled up by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC).

Out of the 700 posts, while 471 posts would be filled up through lateral entry and the rest would be appointed directly.

The Junior lecturers would now avail of promotional facilities in various stages to become Principals of Junior Colleges, that are now being manned by the Readers of the Government Degree Colleges.

As per the new rule Junior Lecturer would be promoted to the rank of Lecturer after completion of eight years of service with satisfactory performance. Similarly, after 10 years as a Lecturer or 18 years of combined service, one would be elevated to the rank of a Reader. A Reader after 8 years of service would be eligible for promotion to Principal.

In another decision, the Cabinet also approved a proposal to ensure easy delivery of disability certificates to the concerned persons. As per the new rule doctors at the CHC and PHC level will now be empowered to issue disability certificates to persons with obvious disability, which they can get them from primary health centres and community health centres located in gram panchayat and block levels.